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Senator Who Slammed Six Months Suspension On Natasha Keeps Mum On Ban From Practising Law In US
AFOLABI
A Nigerian-trained lawyer and senator, Neda Imasuen has yet to respond to reports of his disbarment from practicing law in the United States, more than a week after the Nigerian media brought the issue to light.
Reports had emerged revealing that Imasuen was disbarred in 2010 following a petition by an American, Daphne Slyfield, who accused him of failing to represent him in a court case despite being hired and paid for the service.
According to official documents, Slyfield filed a petition with the Supreme Court of New York, leading the Grievance Committee for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts to review the matter.
The petitioner alleged that Imasuen engaged in “professional misconduct,” prompting the appointment of George Friedman as a special referee to investigate and report on the claims.
After being served with the petition in July 2009, Imasuen was instructed to respond within 20 days. The committee warned that failure to do so would result in the charges being deemed established. However, records indicate that he neither responded to the petition within the allowed timeframe nor sought an extension.
Reports suggest that Imasuen returned to Nigeria in 2010, the same year his disbarment took effect. He subsequently worked as a consultant for the European Union’s State Reforming Institutional Programme, serving as the Jigawa State coordinator.
In 2023, he secured a seat in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber as the senator representing Edo South District under the Labour Party, one of the country’s opposition parties.
Under New York legal provisions, attorneys who have been disbarred, suspended, or removed from the Roll of Attorneys and Counselors-at-Law due to a felony conviction may seek reinstatement. However, such applications can only be made after seven years from the date of disbarment.
It remains unclear whether Imasuen has applied for reinstatement. If he has not, his disbarment remains in effect.
Since the news of his disbarment surfaced, it has dominated discussions in Nigeria, with numerous media outlets covering the development.
Media organizations have made multiple attempts to reach Senator Imasuen for his reaction, but he has not responded.
Premium Times, on Sunday, contacted him via his known mobile number and sent text messages but received no reply.
On Wednesday, multiple calls were made to an alternative number associated with him, but they also went unanswered. A text message sent that same day was successfully delivered, yet he remained unresponsive.
Further inquiries were sent to his official email on Thursday. However, as of the time of this report, Imasuen had yet to respond.
Role in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Suspension
Imasuen, who serves as the chairperson of the Senate ethics committee, recently played a key role in the suspension of Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following her accusation of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
After reviewing a report from the ethics committee, which Imasuen leads, the Senate, under the leadership of Mr. Akpabio, suspended Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months on February 20, citing misconduct and non-compliance with the chamber’s sitting arrangement.
Akpabio had referred the senator’s sexual harassment petition to the ethics committee, but Imasuen ruled that the petition was “dead on arrival” and would not be entertained by the Senate.
as El-Rufai’s moves to stop Tinubu intensify
Adebayo, SDP former presidential candidate, sheds light
Adewole Adebayo is not only a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), he was also the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections. In this interview, Adebayo provides new details into the defection of a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, from the ruling party at the federal level, All Progressives Congress (APC), into his SDP. He insinuates that the SDP is on its way to becoming a mega party ahead of the 2027 elections as, according to him, more leaders of the APC as well as those of other parties are joining the party, some secretly. Excerpts:
The impression many people have is that your party’s net just caught a big fish with Nasir El-Rufai joining. It is also rumoured in some quarters that El-Rufai is probably the biggest personality in the party. Is this the beginning of more defections expected into the party?
El-Rufai is not a fish at all. He is a fellow fisherman. So, he has just joined us on our fishing expedition. So, he is an outfit fisherman, who knows the waters and the ropes.
He has joined us. Many have joined. So, I don’t see how the media determines who is bigger than who, but what we are looking for is that every Nigerian who understands the predicament we are in would want to join the SDP as a credible platform. Attahiru Bafarawa has joined the SDP, for example. He is a former governor in his state. A lot of people have joined him. I am not going to steal the thunder of others because everyone has their protocol of announcement. So, somebody wants to send a tweet tomorrow. If I tell you he has joined today, then you have stolen his thunder.
Somebody who has to seek support from his family and associates, you go and now say today he is going to join next week. You have already upset their plans. So, many will join. The summary of it is that we are looking for fishermen because Nigeria’s ship has sunk and we need to go into the depths of the ocean to rescue the country. And I think that every Nigerian should think about what they need to do to get this country out of the situation we find ourselves in. Nothing is working. And those who want to join other political parties are free to join as well. But I think that to understand the sense of urgency the country is going through now, the SDP is a viable place for them to come.
What exactly did the party induce El-Rufai, Bafarawa and others with for them to say they are coming to SDP, and how did it happen?
It’s because it’s inherent in every Nigerian. And I can perceive it even from your voice that every Nigerian has that inherent patriotism in them. It is when they have ambition, they have fears, they have worries, they have animosity towards somebody, or they have something they’re looking for. That’s when they suppress and sublimate their patriotism. What we did was to go around and try to awaken patriotism in people. El-Rufai is 65 years of age with his massive talent. He has the brain of 50 people combined. He has the courage of 1,000 people and he is ready to work. So, we reached out to him and said “why don’t you come and work with the SDP? You can use the SDP to work”. And let us see, and many more will join. Imagine, even from the ruling party, they should prepare themselves for a robust and viable alternative platform that they can compete with and our democracy will be awoken. People will not be frustrated.
People will not say “what can we do now?” Because Tinubu must know that after two years in office, there will be millions of people who don’t like him and his policies. Not liking Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) should not translate to losing interest in the country or losing confidence in democracy. And people will not be thinking of any other extra-constitutional method and all of that. So, it is good for everybody to have a new set of political class that is competitive. That is everywhere; and the platform is national. That’s what the SDP is. The party is not a sectional one or a fractional one. It is a very strong platform that delivered the presidential election in 1993. And it has gradually been rebuilding and will deliver presidential, gubernatorial, National Assembly and other legislative victories in 2027. So, it is good for people to come, and that’s what we will be telling them.
We will show them our rules. We are going to be fair and reasonable, and they do not need to have any fear that we will not be reasonable. All the other tribulations and injustice or whatever they said they went through, we will say no. Here is a fair platform and the party is not ruled by anybody.
Many had fears before that with Adebayo there, how would they even have a breathing space, but we assured them that everything is by process and that due process would be followed. Every institution will treat you equally, and it’s not a place where you can express any discrimination. It’s a place where you come and express your talent, and if you come and meet someone more talented than you, then so be it. You will understand why you had aspirations and your hand did not reach the aspiration. It’s because somebody more qualified than you is there. That way, you understand that you need to improve on yourself and no door is shut against anyone. Those are the things which we believe have moved people when they see the amount of hard work.
We started like somebody who had a wheelbarrow and tried to compete with somebody who has a big trailer. And they saw the energy with which we were doing the work undeterred. They realized that, maybe, those who have pickups could join us, and those who have other things can join us, and then we can become more competitive. That’s the whole idea, and we keep the discipline, we don’t drop the ball.
We stick to our Constitution. We stick to Chapter 2 of the Nigerian Constitution. We stick to the manifesto of the party, and we stick to the feedback we are getting from the people, and we don’t take shortcuts. We don’t introduce criminality, bribery and all of that, and we communicate with the people. We don’t try to get the power by passing it to people. We want the people to put us there. If we stick to all of that, it will be a resounding success not only for the SDP but also for all democrats in Nigeria.
It’s like there’s a deal between your party and El-Rufai because many believe he is pursuing a presidential ambition. And if that is so, what happens to your presidential bid?
You see, all these are speculations and speculations upon speculations. What I know regarding El-Rufai’s presidency is that he is qualified by age and by other requirements to aspire. He has not said he wants to aspire. If he aspires, it has been written down by God, and it means that I will have to defeat him before I become president. That’s the only way I see it. But as it is, he has been speaking with us.
He didn’t just fall into the room through the ceiling. He was on his own. I will be talking to him. And we’ll be interacting. And he’s coming; none of it is news to us. None of it is unwanted by us. His coming, we desire it and we have had a lot of discussions and this issue has not even come up at all. What has come up is the plight of Nigerian people, the suffering masses and how we can explain the problem to our people so they can believe that solutions that are real can come. I know what he knows about generating electricity for the country. It aligns with what I know, too, because this is operational research. We understand. We know the kind of leadership we need to give, and these are the things we are discussing. So if that happens in the future that he develops the presidential ambition, I will not regret supporting him to come to the party because I will consider it that God has written it down that on my way to the presidency, I have to defeat El-Rufai to get there. And I will work hard along that line, but I’m not worried at all. Unlike El-Rufai, some people who have expressed presidential ambition have been setting up committees, but we are still encouraging them to come. I have not told the party that anybody who wants to run for president should not come in. That would be selfish.
That would be defeatist. That would not serve the party well and won’t serve the country well. We have said for anybody who is coming, the process will be fair, no commitment of crime, no forgery of documents, no bribery of delegates, no cheating and no violation of the law. If we go through that competitive and fair and legitimate process, whoever emerges at the end of it would have been qualified to aspire for the position and that person would be a better person. I think that some of us whose presidential ambition is not hidden, they respect that and they know that we are not going to use any foul means to gain advantage.
How is this defection adding value to your party because there is speculation that El-Rufai may have a joint ticket with Peter Obi?
I don’t know all these names you are mentioning; they have not come to our party. Only El-Rufai is our member, and he is our member on merit. We desire to have him. He is not our member because somebody else is hoping to pair with him or whatever. We award him as our member because of who he is and what he can do. It has nothing to do with presidential ambition or anything. It is a fact that, give him six months in the party you will see the amount of work he will have done for the party. Give him three months, and you will see the amount of work he will have done. In the last several months that we have been having pre-joining discussions with him and preliminary work, everything he said he was going to do, he has done.
Everything is good, and he has delivered every assignment given to him. Every milestone has been reached. So, we have no concern that he will be a good party person. Some of them are just trying their best to pursue their ambition. And the SDP may just be one factor they are considering, but they are free to go anywhere they like. Ambition is not a crime. But the SDP is not available to be used for the ambition of people who are desperate and indiscriminate. The SDP is for those who look at our ideology, our manifesto, our platform and the kind of leadership we have given to the opposition; those who say they want to join us. But people who are coming in from the first day with the ambition on their faces are not welcome.
The person who wants to come in, become a member of our party, settle in the party, blend with us, if he develops ambition, we are not going to say we regret having him around. But those who are coming in, looking for a platform to buy and pursue their ambition, are wasting their time. The SDP is not like any other party where you can just say “how much do I give you to give me the mandate or ticket?” The SDP is not like that. You have to come in, go to your ward, join, understand the party, and see how the process works, and if you want to persuade any party member to allow you to vie for any position, then you can do so.
With what is going on, some see SDP as the new face of opposition in Nigeria. Could this be true?
SDP is the true face of the incoming government. That’s how we see ourselves. If that is what they think of us, fine, no problem. We are just consistent. We have been the opposition even before Tinubu came. Our manifesto was a different one. Our agenda was a different one. So, we just remain consistent. More people are listening to us. Many people come up to me when I go around. “Oh, we were carried away by the frenzy of the 2023 election, and we didn’t listen to you enough. We will be listening to you. We now understand you”.
Some people opposed us before. And they said, “well, I only opposed you because you didn’t have any government experience. Now that we have tested those who have government experience and you are far better than them, what you predicted has come to pass. We are now ready to join you”. So, the people are acknowledging a fact, which has always been there, that the SDP has been the real opposition. If they are acknowledging it, it is like my Igbo brothers and sisters would say, anytime you wake up, you say, “good morning”. So, for those who see us now as the new face of opposition, we thank them and those who have always known that they were the true opposition. We know them, and we will continue to do the work until we deliver the Nigerian people; we cannot rest.
Given the fact that some elements in the North are saying the Presidency must return to the North, is the Southern Presidency for 2027 still possible?
The Presidency is neither in the North nor in the South. The Presidency is in the hands of the wrong people right now. So what we want to do is to return the Presidency to the people of Nigeria. The Presidency that is there now doesn’t serve East, doesn’t serve West, doesn’t serve North, doesn’t serve South. It’s a self-serving one. So all this is just a waste of time. What we want is a Presidency that works. So there is nothing called Southern Presidency or Northern Presidency. What we have is a government that serves the people or does not serve the people. The one that is there now does not serve the people. And we need to bring one that serves the people. Those are the conversations we are having. We don’t know what the hegemonists are thinking elsewhere. But in the SDP, we look at the government, we look at Chapter 2 of the Constitution, we look at our manifesto, and we look at the programmes of that government. When we compare, we know that APC is not on the side of the people. Just like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before, they have not been on the side of the people. So, let us come to power and show a government that is on the side of the people. So, as we are talking today, people are fasting, but Christians and Muslims and most families are hungry.
There is no disparity in the hunger in the North, or in the South, or in the East, or in the West. People have children and they are unemployed. There is no better employment in the North or in the South.
When it comes to insecurity, everybody who leaves his house is praying hard, and those who are in their houses are having sleepless nights. So, if it comes to the economy, unstable currency, inflation, and all of these other factors, costs that are arising, a poorly performing budget, it doesn’t favour the North, and it doesn’t favour the South. So, these discussions are not of priority to us. What is a priority to us now is to ask ourselves a question: are there no patriots left in this country?
Are there not any more competent people left in this country? Are there not any honest people left in this country? If the answer is that there are, then where are they and why are they not marching to the SDP? That is the clarion call, and that is why I have been in Kaduna State for the past few days. I just returned to Abuja, and I’m taking the journey to another place. We are going round the country and ringing this bell; if there is still any honest man left in this country, show your face now and come and join us. If there is still any patriot left in this country, show your face now and come and join us. And if there is anybody who is self-righteous that wants to do what is right, come and join us because that is the clarion call.
The Tinubu administration is almost two years in office. Can you assess its performances so far?
It has been working off the syllabus. So, most of what they have done is off-syllabus because the syllabus for governance in Nigeria is the constitution. The syllabus is particular about the area of concentration, and that area of concentration is Chapter 2 of the constitution. Even with their watered-down Renewed Hope, they have not even gone five percent of the way. Their budget last year underperformed, and even the President acknowledged that the budget performed below 30 percent. So, they have scored themselves. President Tinubu was at the joint plenary of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives said while President Tinubu was presenting the budget that the previous year’s budget underperformed. So, what more do I have to say? Is it in the area of insecurity, people are being carried up and down like cattle and the families have to redeem them back like goats. Which area do we have? Is it in the area of employment?
He is doing a programme now to get the youth to come and do conferences. He is not taking the youth to the factories and the farms to go and work and produce. He is bringing them like late Sani Abacha to Abuja to be entertained and be given compensation. He is not directing the youth to go and work. He is not recruiting them to the armed forces. He is not recruiting them to the civil services. He is not recruiting them into commerce, agriculture, or railways. Nothing, he is wasting their time. So, what is the performance? Where is the performance? Look at the appointment.
Where is the diversity? Where is the diversity of talent? Where is the diversity of gender? Where is the diversity of ethnicity? Where is the diversity of religion? Where is the diversity of ideological perspectives? Where is the creativity? So, do I need to say more? So, they are on their way out. What we are trying to do is usher them in an orderly fashion.
A serving Corp member in Lagos State has cried out over a threat she received from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) board following her recent social media post in which she expressed her displeasure about the rising costs of commodities in the country.
According to the video shared on TikTok via the handle @talktoraye, the serving Corp member, in tears, explained how frustrated she is over the high cost of goods in the market, calling President Ahmed Tinubu’s government a “terrible” one for paying little attention to the hike in commodity prices.
In the video, she said: “If a lot of Nigerians come out and start speaking about what we are going through, maybe changes will be made in the government. I just want to say to our president, I don’t know if there is any other president that is as terrible as you, but you are such a terrible president.”
The serving corp member, in tears, further explained how the NYSC scheme has been less beneficial to her, having had to spend more than the allowance she receives
“So, I am coming from a supermarket where I went to get foodstuff, and everything has gone up again. It’s just like every single week, prices keep increasing. I want to know, what is the government doing about this increase? Is there going to be a particular time when prices will stop going up? Why am I going to get a crate of eggs and I’m told it costs N6,500? It doesn’t make any sense that eggs would cost that much. I literally remember when eggs cost N800. I am so overwhelmed because this is the first time I’ve stayed out of my family house.
“After I left the supermarket, I got home, and the security and NEPA bills have skyrocketed, doubling in price. It is insane. I can’t keep up with these bills. Every single penny I make, I am using it to pay bills. The crazy thing is, you want to go out with your friend, and Uber is N25,000. Why are things so expensive?
“To make it worse, Lagos stinks. Everywhere smells. What is the government doing about the smell? Being an NYSC Corper, there is nothing so beneficial about this scheme. The money I spend on transportation is much more than the allowance the federal government pays us. We should start calling out the government. For example, Tinubu, you are a terrible person. What are you doing to help our economy?”
Barely 24 hours after releasing the video calling President Tinubu “terrible,” she posted another video in which she was receiving calls from an NYSC official. The official in the video was heard asking the Corp member, “Are you normal?” The voice continued, “Keep quiet and bring down the video you posted,” she said.
The Corps member further explained that she has been receiving calls from various NYSC officials telling her to stop insulting the government and remove the video.
Efforts to reach the acting spokesperson for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Caroline Embu, prove abortive as she did not answer calls at press time.
Nollywood actress Dayo Amusa has spoken out on the controversy surrounding singer Asake and his father, Fatai Odunsi.
In a social media post on Saturday, Amusa underscored the importance of parental presence and emotional support, stating that fame and wealth cannot heal childhood wounds.
Reflecting on Asake’s journey, she noted, “When Asake covered his face in tattoos, I once remarked that he was either rebranding or masking a pain he wasn’t ready to confront.”
While addressing allegations that Asake’s father was absent and his mother was strict, Amusa refrained from judgment but stressed that the singer deserves love, not public scrutiny.
She also urged parents to play active roles in their children’s lives, ensuring they receive love and guidance before external influences shape their perspectives.
Amusa wrote, “His childhood remains a mystery-some say his father was absent, others claim his mother was harsh. But I won’t judge a father who left or a mother who did what she could. What matters is that Asake deserves love, not a public spectacle.
“Fame doesn’t heal the wounds of parental rejection. A child raised on ‘I love you’ moves through life differently than one who hears, ‘I want nothing to do with you.’ Some wounds money cannot fix-only deep, intentional healing can. Rather than judge, I choose to send love to this remarkable artist.
“To parents: Be present. Be the voice your child hears before the world tries to define them. A child who feels truly seen and loved at home has less to prove to the world. As a victim of such circumstances, I can relate. I wish him well.”
Emirship tussle: Parade yourself as Emir, face court contempt – Bayero’s counsel tells Sanusi
AFOLABI
Aminu Babba Dan’Agundi, a Senior Counsel to the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero on Saturday threatened to drag the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, to court for contempt should he continue to parade himself as Emir of Kano.
Dan’Agundi, who is the traditional title holder of Sarkin Dawaki Babba of Kano emirate, made this known while addressing newsmen on the recent order by the Court of Appeal.
The traditional leader, however, called on Sanusi and other parties involved in the matter to respect the court order, saying the ruling by the court of appeal was that all parties should maintain status quo ante bellum before the running legal battle.
He said that with the Court of Appeal’s ruling, it implies that Aminu Ado Bayero and the four others were the Emirs in the state.
According to him, “We have two prayers. First, seeking an order of this Honourable Court granting an Injunction restraining the Appellants and other Respondents by themselves, their agents, privies, servants or personal representatives from enforcing the Judgment of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/KN/126/2024, Kano State House of Assembly and Anor. vs. Alhaji Aminu Babba Mohammad Mustapha, JCA, Hon Justice Abdu Dogo, JCA (“Lower Court”), delivered on the 10th day of January, 2025 pending the hearing and determination of the 1 Respondent/Applicant’s appeal filed on 24th day of Janaury, 2025, before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“Second, an order of this Honourable Court granting mandatory injunction for the maintenance of the status quo ante bellum by the parties as well as the Sheriff of the Court of Appeal and the Trial Court as was the position before Justice A. M. Liman (now JCA) in his Judgment on the 13th day of June, 2024 in Suit No. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024 between Alh. Aminu Babba Dan Agundi vs. Kano State House of Assembly & 7 Ors pending the hearing and determination of the 1 Respondent/Applicant’s appeal against the Judgment of the Court of Appeal No. CA/KN/126/2024, Kano State House of Assembly and Anor. vs. Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi & Ors Coram: Hon. Justice Mohammad Mustapha, JCA, Hon. Justice Gabriel Omoniyi Kolawole, JCA and Hon. Justice Abdu Dogo, JCA (“Lower Court”). And the court granted the orders and these are the rulings.
“Upon the Court being satisfied that the applicant has a valid and arguable appeal before the Supreme Court against the decision of this Court dated 10/1/2025,
“And upon the Court being satisfied also that the applicant has a legal right that is deserving to be protected pending the outcome of his appeal at the Supreme Court against the decision of this Court dated 10/1/2025 and that the balance of convenience is on his side,
“And the Court having considered that it is in the overall interest of justice to grant the application and having delivered its unanimous Ruling in the open Court, its reasoning and conclusions are as contained in the body of the Ruling.
“It is hereby ordered as follows: An Injunction is hereby granted restraining the Respondents herein named either themselves, their agents, privies, servants, or personal representatives from enforcing the judgment of this Court in Appeal No. CA/KN/126/2024 KANO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY AND VS ALHAJI AMINU BABBA DAN AGUNDI & OTHERS delivered on the 10/1/2025 pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s appeal filed on 24/1/2025 before the Supreme Court of Nigeria. So this is the first prayer and this is what they are talking about and even advising the Governor. An order to stay that judgment.
“But the most important order is the second order. And they are not even talking about it. The second order is a mandatory injunction that was granted which is ordered that parties shall maintain the status quo ante bellum as well as the Sheriff of this Court and the trial Court as was the position before the trial Court in its judgment delivered on 13/6/2024 in Sult No. FHC/KN/CS/182/2024 Between ALHAJI AMINU BABBA DAN AGUNDI V KANO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY & 7 OTHERS pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s appeal against the Judgment of this Court in Appeal No. CA/KN/126/2024 KANO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY AND ANOR VS ALHAJI AMINU BABBA DAN AGUNDI & OTHERS delivered on the 10/1/2025.
“What these means is we should maintain status quo ante before I went to court to challenge the repeal of the Kano Emirate law which the state government did and used to remove all the Emir. And what is the position? The position is that Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero is the Emir of Kano and all other Emirs.
“So if for any other reason, Sanusi parades himself as an Emir of Kano, that will amount to contempt of the court because of this ruling. Respect the rule of law. And if for any other reason, he (Sanusi) decided to do otherwise, I will take him to court and charge him for contempt.
“We have been granted this order and it must be followed. Unless and until a higher court, Supreme Court set aside this order. Everybody must abide by this order.
“I am appealing to all the security agencies who are responsible for maintaining peace in the state to make sure that the rule of law is followed,” Dan’Agundi stated.
Despite the peace accord brokered by President Bola Tinubu last Wednesday to resolve the lingering speakership crisis in the Lagos State House of Assembly, tensions remain high among lawmakers and stakeholders in the state.
Recall that at the end of the high-level intervention, Tinubu directed aggrieved lawmakers to work with re-elected Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
However, fresh discord has emerged, with lawmakers accusing Obasa of reneging on an alleged agreement to step down after being reinstated.
Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, by 35 out of 40 lawmakers over allegations of financial mismanagement, highhandedness, and dictatorship. He was replaced by his then-deputy, Mojisola Meranda.
The development threw the APC Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and party faithful into turmoil, prompting Tinubu to deploy a reconciliation panel, which included Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba, to mediate.
The compromise deal reportedly required Meranda to resign, allowing Obasa to return as Speaker with the expectation that he would step down within 48 hours to pave the way for a new Speaker from Lagos West, as demanded by the aggrieved lawmakers.
Following Meranda’s resignation, Obasa was re-elected by his loyalists in the House, with Noheem Adams (Eti-Osa 1) nominating him and Nureni Akinsanya (Mushin 1) seconding the motion.
Barely a day after regaining the seat, Obasa’s attempt to hold a reconciliation meeting with the aggrieved lawmakers failed, as they accused him of betraying the agreed transition plan.
The Assembly has since gone on indefinite recess, with many lawmakers refusing to recognize Obasa’s leadership.
Meanwhile, the APC in Lagos has dismissed claims that Obasa was required to resign under the peace deal.
State APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, told Sunday Vanguard, “To the best of my knowledge, there was no time the arrangement for Obasa to resign was included in the terms of settlement. This entire struggle is about governance, and sacrifices were made to reach an agreement.”
Fresh Controversy Over ₦5 Billion Vehicle Purchase
Amid the ongoing leadership tussle, a fresh scandal has erupted over the purchase of official vehicles for lawmakers.
Reports indicate that during Meranda’s 49-day tenure as Speaker, she allegedly approved the purchase of 39 vehicles for lawmakers at a cost of ₦5 billion.
However, sources claim that Obasa had already approved ₦7 billion for the same purpose in December 2024, before his removal in January 2025.
The matter has now spiraled into legal action, as Obasa has dragged Meranda, 33 lawmakers, and the Lagos Assembly to court, challenging his impeachment and questioning the financial transactions made during Meranda’s tenure.
A source, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard on condition of anonymity, revealed that Obasa is contesting the vehicle purchases, arguing that the funds were withdrawn from the Assembly’s account without his authorization.
According to the source, the Speaker had his plan of purchasing the vehicles from Dubai having contacted a bidder for the contract.
“He had approved the money before his removal. But Meranda proceeded with buying them, a move that infuriated Obasa,” an aide to Obasa who preferred anonymity confided in Vanguard.
A source loyal to Meranda stated that the first female Speaker only saved N2 billion by purchasing 32 units of 2025 Toyota Prado Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV and seven units of Toyota Landcruiser 2025 at the sum of ₦5 billion, rather than the ₦7 billion budgeted by Obasa.
“Unlike Obasa who had planned to import the vehicles from Dubai, all the cars were locally supplied. It is imperative to note that no money was withdrawn by Meranda, she only reviewed an existing approval.
“Interestingly, Meranda spent far less money to acquire better quality cars and didn’t even approve a single one for the office of the Speaker that she occupied,” the source stated.
An actress and producer Sylvia Ukaatu, better known as “Marathon Producer,” has made it clear that sex scenes are no longer a prerequisite for movies to succeed in Nollywood. In an interview with Potpourri, Ukaatu shared her insights on the evolving landscape of Nollywood.
“Sex does not sell a movie! What sells a movie is the storyline and the actor who breathes life into the written word,” Ukaatu declared. “I’ve seen movies without a single sex scene, yet people loved them. Gone are the days when such scenes were seen as essential for a film’s success. Nollywood has moved past that level.”
She further revealed that actors are now more discerning with the roles they accept, prioritizing meaningful scripts over gratuitous displays of intimacy. “Last time I checked, actors now select scripts carefully. Nobody wants to be kissing every lip on screen just to stay relevant,” she added.
Touching on the necessity of side hustles for actors, Ukaatu emphasized the importance of diversifying income streams. “Yes, it’s a good idea to dive into other side hustles to support your main career. In case A isn’t fetching enough income, B will. I was known as an actor, but when movie roles weren’t coming, I had to tap into my passion for producing — and it pays. Many people don’t recognize when it’s time to pivot or explore other opportunities.”
When asked about the growing trend of celebrities sharing their love lives on social media, Ukaatu maintained that it boils down to personal preference. “As for me, I don’t like talking about my relationship, and the reason is best known to me. I’d rather keep that part of my life private.”
The defection of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has triggered fresh political permutations, with analysts speculating on his potential alliance with a southern candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
While El-Rufai cited a lack of internal democracy in the APC as part of his reasons for leaving, political stakeholders remain divided on what his move means for the opposition.
Reacting to the development, Northern Elders Forum (NEF) member, Suleiman Abdul-Aziz, in an interview with Vanguard dismissed El-Rufai’s defection as self-serving rather than a push for national interest.
Abdul-Aziz said, “As northern leaders, we view this move with a critical lens, recognizing it as not merely a shift in party affiliation but as an attempt to manipulate the political consciousness of a region whose leaders El-Rufai has, at times, disparaged. El-Rufai’s political journey has been marked by a series of controversial statements and actions that have often undermined the very leaders of the North he now seeks to rally.
“His past criticisms of northern leaders, whom he has accused of ineffectiveness and corruption, now seem hypocritical as he attempts to position himself as a champion of northern interests. By aligning himself with the SDP, a party that has struggled to gain traction in recent years, El-Rufai may be attempting to carve out a niche for himself as a unifying figure who transcends the traditional North-South divide. Such a strategy could resonate with voters disillusioned by the APC’s internal conflicts and the perceived failures of the current administration.
“El-Rufai’s defection, therefore, is not merely a personal decision but one that could significantly impact the political consciousness of the region. By attempting to rebrand himself as a leader who can bridge divides, El-Rufai risks underestimating the intelligence and awareness of northern constituents, who are increasingly discerning about the motivations of their leaders.
“Leaders who have historically marginalized their constituents or undermined the traditional power structures are viewed with skepticism. El-Rufai’s past actions, including his often abrasive rhetoric and controversial policies, may hinder his ability to effectively connect with the very people he now seeks to represent.”
However, Igbo National Council (INC) said El-Rufai’s defection from All Progressives Congress (APC) may not be consequential, saying it was driven by personal interest.
Naija News reports that the President of INC, Chilos Godsent, told Sunday Vanguard, “One of his reasons was that El-Rufai was not an opposition figure rather an aggrieved member.
“The defection does not have any weight. It is based on interest. It is not about good governance. It is not about the ideological reshaping of Nigeria’s political participation.
“It is about economic and political interest inclined by political elites. They are just the same. They can’t do what the system is currently doing now.
“It is not as if they have anything politically or economically better than what is on the ground. El-Rufai is not an opposition figure. So, he cannot gather such momentum. He is just among aggrieved members.”
Also speaking, former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, said, “There is nothing new in what El-Rufai has done.
“This is because every government loses some old friends and gains some new friends. In the final analysis, it is the net effect that matters most. In Nigeria, such defections and cross-carpeting of politicians have never won elections except Buhari, who won under APC. His victory is attributed largely to his charisma and mass appeal in the North, which was more or less cult followership, which was largely complemented by Bola Tinubu, who provided the spread needed to satisfy the law for anybody to become an elected president.
“Though former El-Rufai has hammered on the need for opposition parties to bury their differences in favor of a sturdy political party that can provide a viable opposition as an alternative platform is crucial. However, the personal differences among the leaders of the emerging opposition may constitute a hindrance to the provision of a formidable opposition that can unseat an incumbent.
“That is why I am not sure the emerging opposition parties would have a Buhari and a Bola Tinubu who can confront the ruling APC and unseat it. All the same, El-Rufai is at liberty to present himself against the incumbent if he thinks he has what it takes to unseat the APC. Recall that former VP Atiku tried it in 2019 to no avail.”
In his submission, Mohammed Talban Shika said El-Rufai has transformed himself into a force to reckon with in Nigerian politics. He said the defection to the SDP has triggered a mass movement to the party in Kaduna, Zamfara, and Yobe.
He added that the population in the SDP continued to increase right from the day El-Rufai joined the party, a development that was causing serious hiccups in the APC, even though they allegedly pretended all was well.
On his part, National President of the South-South Leaders Forum, Godson Ibrede, said the former Kaduna State leader has what it takes to revive the opposition.
His words: “El-Rufai may not be liked by many people, but that doesn’t take away the fact that he is a strong and popular politician who has associates across the country. He can lead a mass movement that would put an end to the APC’s destruction of Nigeria. Let’s give him a chance and not write him off. All he needs to do is to be consistent as an opposition figure.”
The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, on Saturday, urged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to stop making inflammatory and baseless statements not befitting a statesman even as he challenged him to explain to Nigerians why he said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project was wasteful and corrupt.
Umahi made the declaration in Lagos while speaking against the backdrop of claims from the former president that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project was a wasteful and corrupt project.
He explained that the former president remained his mentor and political father who had visited him when he was the governor of Ebonyi State and applauded his transparency, saying if Chief Obasanjo, whom he considered father and mentor, was saying the projects he (Umahi) is handling as minister were corrupt, it meant that he learnt the act of corruption from Obasanjo, being his mentor.
Obviously saying that the former president lacked moral rectitude to make such a statement, he referenced the Siemens Power project, Nitel and privatization deals that were done under the former president’s watch from 1999-2007, but allegedly failed to achieve the desired results.
Piqued by the uncomplimentary comment by Chief Obasanjo, the minister said, “Is it wasteful that it would be an evacuation corridor for Dangote Refinery, deep sea ports and free trade zones? Is it wasteful that it would connect all existing roads infrastructure together? Is it wasteful that along the corridor, we would have windmill energy? Is it wasteful that it would help the Apapa Ports and other ports in Calabar.
‘’Is it wasteful that Dangote Refinery will pass through it? I am not seeing the sense that he is saying it is wasteful. When you say it is wasteful, you have not told us why it is wasteful, when you say it is corrupt, you haven’t told us why it is corrupt.
‘’The former president has been to Ebonyi many times when I was governor and he commended our transparency. Suddenly if a father says his son is corrupt, it is up to the son to say I am not corrupt and if the father is insisting that his son is corrupt, then he learnt it from his father.’’
The Minister said the former president merely bandied figures when he stated that the Lagos-Calabar project would cost over $11 billion to complete even as he stressed that the figures the president weaved together were not attuned with the economic realities on ground.
Umahi buttressed that the ongoing Lagos-Calabar project is one of the biggest road infrastructure of concrete pavement instead of asphalt roads that are prone to frequent destruction and potholes.
He advised the former president to channel his energy towards writing biographies and memoirs rather than publishing books to dismiss bold infrastructure that he couldn’t actualise when he was made president for eight years.
It would be recalled that the former President had disclosed in Chapter Six of his new book, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’ where he painted the portrait and characters of chief executives at both the federal and state levels as corrupt elements in service to enrich themselves.
“The project is not wasteful and corrupt. I have read on social media where people were saying that why is the government or the contractor not explaining, but as the Minister of Works, I am qualified to explain the project,” Umahi declared.
…says he’s two wins ahead of Rivers gov, more will come
FCT Minister will make 2027 hard for Tinubu in Niger Delta – PANDEF Youth Wing
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said he would not stop the Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly from performing its constitutional obligations.
The former Rivers State governor, who accused Secretary to the Rivers State Government, SSG, Dr Tammy Danagogo, of inciting the ongoing political crisis in the state, told Governor Siminalayi Fubara that he was two wins ahead of him and said more wins would come his way.
This was just as the youth wing of the apex socio-political organisation in the South-South geo-political zone, Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, gave a 48-hour ultimatum to Wike to retract his disparaging remarks about the Ijaw nation.
However, the Minister clarified his statements about the Ijaw, arguing that he was quoted out of context.
Wike spoke at a Thanksgiving and Civic Reception organised by a political movement named after his initials, NEW Associates, in Abalama Town, Kalabari Kingdom, Rivers State.
Before the event, Kalabari women protested and barricaded the road leading into kingdom, just as they insisted that the Minister would not be permitted in over a comment that they were a minority in the state.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that while the women, adorned in black attires and white lace strapped round their heads, stormed the area as early as 7 am, the King of Abalama Kingdom, His Royal Highness, King Big Tom-Tom, also urged the Associates to cancel the ceremony.
Ijaw
Meanwhile, Wike mocked those who said he would be unable to make it to the event and thanked the community for receiving him.
His words: “I heard some people argued that I won’t be here today. Who are they and how many are they? What you have done today is to tell the world that all this noise over the radio is not the real thing. If you are of the Kalabari and Ijaw nations and you are receiving me today, God will continue to bless you. I will continue to support you. “What I said during my interview is being misinterpreted, but that is their business. I want to repeat what I said, which is that we are all working together. If we didn’t work together, it would have been difficult to produce the governor. That was what I said. At the time we were deciding who would be the governor; Chief Alabraba did not allow me to rest. He nearly fainted.
“When we met that day (prior to choosing a candidate), he, OCJ Okocha and Sergeant Awuse and this boy, Celestine Omehia, were the primary reason this governor said he was not going to run (vie for the governorship) that my Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu should. Celestine Omehia said it should be Isaac Kamalu because this governor cannot effectively carry out the functions of a governor.
“OCJ Okocha and Chief Awuse said live and let live, let us not do something that people would accuse us of one-sideness. What I mean is that it was not because of the strength or the power of Ijaw, it was because we worked together. Nobody should associate anything evil to Ijaw. Ijaw people are not evil people. However, you cannot keep threatening to blow pipeline over little things. No. Engage people intellectually and diplomatically and you will get what you want. In the world we are in today, we have passed the stage of threatening people.
Members of the House’s salary
“They told you (Fubara) to seize Assembly members’ salaries and allowances for more than one year. They had no income to feed their families and pay their children school fees, yet you were jubilating and people encouraged you to continue that nothing would happen. Now, something has happened. I am not going to stop the Assembly from performing their constitutional duties. The Assembly should be allowed to perform their duties. People who love peace don’t threaten people.
“I told you that the House of Assembly will not lose their seats. I told you that the shenanigans of local government would not stand. I don’t need to be a governor. I know that what is illegal is illegal. We fought it constitutionally by following due process. What did we do wrong?
“We said all these chairmen and Assembly members suffered for you to become governor. Therefore, don’t abandon them. But they said I was asking for money. Has the money come? Those you are sharing the money, how far? I want you to remember yesterday. A man (possibly referring to himself) is bad, a man is crook and a man is a criminal, but it was that same man that made you against all odds. If I hated the Ijaw, I wouldn’t have done that and nothing would have happened. I followed my principle of live and let us live.
“If you watch you will find out that all those around the governor are natural ingrates. Nobody who is not an ingrate will associate themselves with what is going on. I told the governor to eat what God has given to him peacefully because it won’t be good for him to face this crisis. But they told him, you are governor you have money. I agree. But, money is not everything. All these people have nothing to offer. Can you see where we are? How far?
Origin of the problem
“Who started this problem? Danagogo used his elder brother, who is a judge. They sat down under ex parte order saying 27 members had defected; ex parte not on notice. SSG lured his brother, a judge, to give an ex parte order that the government can present budget to three or four people. Danagogo is the Secretary. The judge who gave the order is Danagogo. Look at how people can destroy a state.
“That is the genesis of this entire crisis. How will a judge sit down under ex parte order saying that people had defected and you can present budget to three people? This is Danagogo who wanted to be governor. He was so pained that he was not given. He is the one leading you and he will lead you to hellfire. You surround yourself with people who wanted to be governor; who I stopped because they don’t mean well for Rivers State. They are the ones surrounding you giving you advice.
Two wins ahead
Why do you think you will succeed? They will give you bad advice and see what the bad advice is doing to you. This is 2:0 and more will come. I haven’t seen this kind of politics where you surround yourself with those who want your seat. Will it work? They come, they and abuse me and you are happy. You don’t know they are destroying you.
“You can abuse me as much as you want. I have never bothered myself because abuse doesn’t kill anybody. What is important is the result. Who now has high blood pressure? They are the ones. This was what I was avoiding. Mr President invited all of us for peace and after that day; we, the leaders sat and told the Assembly to go back and withdraw that impeachment notice since the president had intervened for peace.
Instead of them to do their own part, they instigated many court actions and used them as an excuse.
“When they won in the Court of Appeal, they held a thanksgiving. Today, we won and they said we should not do thanksgiving. Are they being fair? The judgement day has come. OCJ Okocha said Judgement Day would come and it has come. When the president intervened, people like Sarah Igbeh went to court challenging Mr President that he had no power in such matters. I was told Sarah Igbeh was in the Villa for the president to intervene; you that went to court against the President you are now going back to the President. You must be consistent. Politics comes with good and bad. When the good comes, you take it; when the bad comes, you face it. We cannot be pushed out after all our efforts and sweats. All of you suffered. All those who said they would not serve a master and his son are the ones waiting on the road opening doors for the son. People have no conscience at all. Those who wrote petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes commission, EFCC, against this governor for him not to be governor are the ones saying they would decide. Decide for whom? Us? They are not yet born. I have defeated them before and I have continued to defeat them.”
2027
In a related development, the youth wing of PANDEF warned that Wike’s remarks about the Ijaw might have a negative effect on President Bola Tinubu’s political support in the Niger Delta.
Last Tuesday, the FCT Minister, during a media chat, said PANDEF was an unreliable organisation and described its Board of Trustee members as “political merchants.”
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, the group’s President, Doben Donyegha, said it was embarrassing that Wike insulted the legacy of its founder, late Chief Edwin Clark, even before his burial. He said: “if he fails to apologise within 48 hours, we will take necessary actions. The Niger Delta and the entire South-South region stand united against his recklessness. It is painful to us that Wike would show such utter disrespect to our late leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even before he is buried.”
The group also recalled that as governor, Wike had a history of making disparaging remarks, citing an incident where he gathered respected traditional rulers and insulted them, telling one of them that he looked like Uthman Dan Fodio.
He said: “We have no confidence in Wike. We are calling on President Tinubu to withdraw him as a minister and subject him to the investigation of the Code of Conduct Bureau for breaching various infractions in office. Our leaders recently visited President Tinubu to promote peace in Rivers State, particularly to support Fubara, who is doing commendable work. Instead of supporting this effort, the FCT Minister insulted our respected elders, falsely claiming they were seeking financial gain.
This level of disrespect is unacceptable, and as Niger Delta youths, we will not tolerate it.”
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As the price war in the downstream oil sector continues leading to recurring reductions in the price of Premium Motor Spirit commonly known as petrol, oil marketers have resorted to slashing the volume of their fuel purchase amid mounting losses from the price drop.
The price war, primarily between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, began in November 2024 when the Africa’s largest private refinery lowered the price of petrol from N990 to N970 per litre.
Dangote further reduced it to N899 per litre, citing the need to provide relief for Nigerians during the holiday season.
Days after Dangote’s move, NNPCL also slashed its ex-depot price of the product from N1,040 to N899 per litre, according to the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria.
On February 1, 2025, Dangote Refinery again reduced the petrol price to N890 per litre before further lowering it to N825 per litre on February 27, setting the stage for continued pricing competition with NNPCL.
In a statement signed by its Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, the refinery said the price adjustment was a direct response to the positive outlook within the global energy and gas markets and the recent reduction in international crude oil prices.
However, on March 3, 2025, some NNPCL retail outlets reported that the oil firm had also adjusted its petrol pump price to N860 per litre, reflecting the intense price war among fuel merchants.
According to stakeholders in the downstream sector, the frequent price reductions, signaling the ongoing price war between Dangote Refinery and NNPCL, have been beneficial to Nigerians.
However, energy experts argue that the continuous decline in PMS prices has been causing significant losses for oil marketers and importers, who lose an average of N2.5bn daily and N75bn monthly.
Amid mounting losses, oil marketers under PETROAN have called for a regulation mandating that fuel prices be adjusted only every six months, but it remains uncertain whether the regulatory body will approve the demand.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the National Vice President of IPMAN, Hammed Fashola, said that while the price war has benefited Nigerians, the unpredictability of fuel price reductions is forcing oil marketers to cut their purchases, leading to significant daily losses.
He said, “The ongoing price reduction is affecting oil marketers negatively because we are losing money. For instance, if I buy products at N900 per litre today and the price drops by evening, you can see the problem, especially if the product is meant to last a month. That is the challenge marketers are facing now.
“Not buying large volumes of PMS is the only way to play it safe because when you buy in bulk, the price may drop again, which is exactly what is happening now. For all marketers, that is the reality we are dealing with.
“We just need to be careful when making purchases. We must equip ourselves with adequate information by understanding global market trends before buying. And we will only purchase products we are confident can be sold within a week.”
When asked if marketers had begun reducing their purchase volumes, the IPMAN VP said, “Of course. Any reasonable person would do that to minimise losses. Our people have already started. It is just a precautionary measure. How long this will last depend on the situation. If the price stabilises, everyone will relax and return to normal business. But if it remains unstable, there will always be the fear that prices could drop at any time. So, everyone would rather be cautious. It is about avoiding excessive losses. However, this practice might not last long, as it is only a short-term measure.”
In yet another price change, the landing cost of PMS on Tuesday dropped to N774.82 per litre, making it cheaper than Dangote Refinery’s ex-depot price of N825 per litre.
The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria revealed this in its latest Competency Centre daily energy data released during the week, noting that the estimated import parity into tanks had reduced by N152.56 or 16.5 percent from the N927.48 per litre recorded on February 21, 2025.
This drop follows a decline in Brent crude prices, which fell to $70 per barrel, while U.S. WTI crude dropped to $66.70 as of Wednesday, March 12, 2025, compared to around $76 and $69 per barrel, respectively, in February.
Marketers suggested that the continued drop in global oil prices could push the pump price of PMS to around N800 per litre. They added that the latest reduction in fuel import landing costs would further intensify the price war between Dangote Refinery, NNPC, and fuel importers.
However, speaking on Thursday, Fashola noted that prices could fall even further to as low as N500 per litre if crude oil drops to around $40 per barrel and the naira strengthens to below N1,000 per dollar.
He said, “On Tuesday, the landing cost of imported fuel was N774.82 per litre, cheaper than what Dangote was selling. But Dangote responded by lowering its price to N815 per litre. So, I believe this price war is beneficial for Nigeria. That is the beauty of deregulation. It fosters competition. As more players enter the market, we expect further price reductions.”
In its latest foreign trade report, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics disclosed that the country’s petrol imports surged by 105 percent in 2024, reaching a staggering N15.42tn.
According to energy experts, the rise in fuel imports has raised concerns about the viability of local refineries and the impact of the ongoing price war between NNPC and Dangote Refinery.
But the IPMAN VP said aside from preventing monopolies, the increased fuel imports and lower-cost imported products are driving down the prices of locally refined petrol.
He said, “We should not be selfish. We must allow an open market where everyone can participate. We must also avoid monopolies because we do not want anyone taking undue advantage of Nigerians.
“If we shut the market to fuel imports, we know how a typical Nigerian business will behave. So, allowing importation serves as a check and balance. I see no reason why imported PMS should be cheaper than locally refined fuel.”
“In anything you do, there must be an alternative to prevent monopolies and ensure no one takes advantage of others. If importation is allowed and someone can bring in fuel at a lower price, what Nigeria needs is affordable, high-quality fuel. This will push local refiners to become more competitive and lower their prices because I see no reason why imported fuel should be cheaper than locally refined products,” the IPMAN VP stated.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company, Bismarck Rewane, has stated that the ongoing price war among the fuel merchants will only persist if the global oil price continues to drop as witnessed in recent days.
In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, the renowned economist noted that if the global price of crude increases again, the price of the product would definitely go up in the country as the local producers cannot sell below their cost price.
He stated, “The price of crude determines the price of its refined products. So, the only reason the price war will continue is if the price of crude oil drops sharply. Then, we would see a further drop in the price of petrol. But if the price of crude increases again, which nobody can predict, we will see an increase in the price of petrol. It is not in the hands of the refiners but on the global oil market, which is outside our control.”
Explaining why there is an obvious competition between Dangote and NNPCL, he said, “What do you expect? There must be competition. The way I see them, there is competition. But only one man can win. Whether there is competition or not, you must survive to be able to compete. And the only way you can survive is if you are selling above your cost price. As competitors, pricing is one of the tools for competition. When it’s comfortable, they will bring down their price within the market share. But when it is not comfortable, they won’t bring down the price.”
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, may not enjoy strong grassroots appeal, but his organizational prowess and strategic influence within the opposition are positioning him as a key player in the plot to block President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid in 2027.
El-Rufai, who played a pivotal role in rallying northern governors behind Tinubu during the 2022 APC presidential primary, is reportedly maintaining close contact with some of these governors as political realignments take shape ahead of the next general election.
In a significant twist, El-Rufai, who was instrumental in undermining Peter Obi during the 2023 elections—appears to be warming up to the former Labour Party candidate.
Naija News reports that the strongest indication of this shift emerged on Monday, when his son, Bashir El-Rufai, made a surprising post on ?, claiming that the APC misled him about Obi’s leadership qualities.
While El-Rufai has yet to make any public endorsement of Obi, political analysts see this as an early signal of potential collaboration between opposition forces.
SDP Unlikely To Be The Final Opposition Vehicle
Despite El-Rufai’s recent defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP), signs are emerging that the party may not serve as the ultimate opposition platform for the 2027 presidential contest.
The SDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, made it clear in a recent television interview that he intends to run again in 2027, signaling internal divisions within the party.
“Let us understand something. I don’t worry about that; everybody who is coming in knows I will run in 2027,” Adebayo declared, dismissing suggestions that El-Rufai’s presence in the party would alter the SDP’s leadership structure.
Meanwhile, a top source within the opposition movement in a chat with Vanguard dismissed the notion that the SDP would be the final rallying point against Tinubu’s second-term bid.
“It is neither here nor there. We are not pushing the narrative of persons or parties, but rather a bonding to produce victory,” the source revealed.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has warned that there is growing discontent among Nigerian youths against the country’s prolonged maladministration.
He said that unless leaders adjusted, a revolution powered by hungry and angry youths was inevitable.
According to Obasanjo, though the country is blessed with talented and hardworking youths, the young population is disenchanted with the mismanagement of the nation’s commonwealth, large-scale corruption, and leadership ineptitude, among others.
The former President disclosed these in one of his new books, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’ unveiled last week.
Obasanjo said leaders on the continent should not think that they could continue to govern with barefaced stealing and lies and remain insensitive to the people’s plight without repercussions and revolt.
He said, “Current trends on the continent portray a more assertive, younger population, intolerant of abuses of power and in search of the dividends of good governance, such that whether or not we accept it, an inevitable shake-up is in the offing.
“In what manner that happens is left for the current operatives of government to decide or fashion out. That is why my clarion call for a domesticated system of governance that reflects our temperament, context, content, culture, and exigencies is urgent.
“We are currently sitting on a ticking time bomb partly because of the system we practise, how corruptly we practise it, and how exclusively we practise it with impunity, callousness, brazen outrage and total disregard for any element of righteousness, integrity, accountability, sensitivity, compassion, inclusiveness and the fear of God.
“If the incumbent leaders do not shape up and satisfy the yearnings and demands of their people, especially the youths, who are disappointed, dissatisfied, bitter, hungry, angry, unemployed and unempowered, then the future is indeed very bleak, with no light at the end of the tunnel.
“These young people watch helplessly as their leaders tell them blatant lies unabashedly, while continuing their orgies of vulgar and ostentatious lifestyles rather than investing the money from the nation’s commonwealth in SMEs to create jobs and generate wealth.
“Should we have the misfortune of pushing these young people to the point of crossing the Rubicon, the country will pay a very high cost because a chain of events will be unleashed, the end of which no one can predict.
“We have no better time for change than now before change is forced upon us. It was JF Kennedy, former president of the United States of America, who, in 1962, said that those who make peaceful change impossible will make violent change inevitable. I am not calling for violent change, but it will become a reality if we continue on the present trajectory.
“Let us set aside lies, illusions, delusions, dishonesty and scapegoatism. Let us face reality and deal sincerely with ourselves, among ourselves, by ourselves and for ourselves.
“Sadly, for Africa, this grave and worrying concern is not just a Nigerian phenomenon but an entire African malady.
“It is now in its autumn of incubation, and if it does not receive serious attention, it will metamorphose into a destructive pandemic in its winter and spread across the continent.
“To ignore the warning and the writing on the wall is to continue to dance slow foxtrot while our trousers are burning. The day of reckoning may not be too far, but like the Biblical second coming of Jesus Christ, who can tell when that will happen?”
The former President equally lamented that as important as the traditional rulers could be as major stakeholders in building a developed nation, the institution had over the years been bastardised.
Obasanjo, while speaking about the traditional rulers in chapter 14 of his new book, said aside from the proliferation of all kinds of kings nowadays, the training and apprenticeship within their palace had long been jettisoned
He said, “Today, there are criminals, drug addicts, vagabonds, bandits and kidnappers as so-called traditional rulers.
“This is a great pity, and it has greatly contributed to the problems of Nigeria by traditional rulers. How do we account for a traditional ruler snatching a ballot box at an election polling station and running away with it?
“The class of traditional rulers with their distinction, honour and dignity, as we knew them in the colonial days and early post-independence days, has been diluted and polluted.
“That dignity, aura and respect should be brought back and traditional rulers should be an asset to Nigeria’s development and greatness and not a liability.
“There is a need for moral re-armament among the traditional rulers – the ancient and historic ones. And they can and should make meaningful contributions to the Nigeria of our dreams that will serve the purpose and interest of all”.
Speaking about the military in chapter 11 of the book, Obasanjo said while it took 30 months to end the civil war fought between 1967 and 1970, the military efforts to contain Boko Haram for about 20 years had been complicated by banditry, constant kidnapping, cattle rustling, herder-farmer crisis from within, and ISWAT, ISIS, Al-Qaeda from without.
Contributing significantly to this military failure, according to Obasanjo, is corruption occasioned by the government commissioning their kiths and kin to buy inferior equipment for the Army.
“With poor equipment for the military by the executive, the military would appear to be handicapped by the quality of equipment invariably procured for it by either the kith and kin of the executive or someone related or associated in other ways.
“It became an industry where the executive or those close to them were made the procurer of inferior, second-hand refurbished, obsolete equipment and armament and made money while jeopardising the limbs and lives of those facing Boko Haram, who, because of the treachery of buyers employed by the government, may be able to outgun the Army and by outgunning the military, they will also outmanoeuvre them.”
The former President also alleged that former President Muhammadu Buhari was selective in determining the criminal groups the military must fight, adding that this to a large extent exacerbated the nation’s insecurity challenge.
He said, “The Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces and all the paramilitary is the President.
“Under President Buhari, serious and seemingly undeniable allegations were made that the military were not even-handed in dealing with criminals and criminal groups in the country.
“There were favourite criminals and criminal groups of the President Buhari administration who must be treated with velvet knuckles and those who must be treated with hammer knuckles.
“When a person of the calibre of General T. Y. Danjuma, a man who is not known for flippancy, made such an accusation, it must be taken seriously. It would then appear that the order given to the military to engage the criminal elements to ensure peace, order, security, stability, development and progress was selective in location and quantum of force, including utilisation of armament
“That would be the greatest undermining of peace and security from the highest level and that would make all other exercises fruitless and abortive. What a great and monumental tragedy!”
Obasanjo called for adequate and special training of the military to combat fleeting targets living among the people, special training for intelligence acquisition and special equipment to deal with targets when fully and correctly identified.
He urged them to remain committed to defending the country’s territorial integrity and the world’s peace but must stoutly resist the temptation, the lure and the call into coup-making and an unconstitutional government.
Efforts to get Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, proved abortive, as he did not take his calls or respond to messages sent to his two telephone lines on Saturday.
Similarly, a spokesperson for President Tinubu declined to comment on the matter.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, days after stirring controversy by describing the Ijaw ethnic nationality as the “minority of the minorities”, stormed Abalama in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State for a grand civic reception in his honour.
A massive crowd of Kalabari Ijaw indigenes trooped out to celebrate the former Rivers State governor during the event, which also doubled as a thanksgiving service.
Wike, who was welcomed amid cheers from supporters, said he attended the event despite threats from some individuals who tried to stop him, insisting that his presence proved that his critics were only engaging in “radio noise.”
During his address, Wike declared that he will not interfere with the activities of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule.
His statement suggests that even if the lawmakers decide to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, he will not stand in their way.
Naija News reports that Wike also accused the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo, of orchestrating the political crisis rocking the state.
According to him, Danagogo’s actions were a major trigger for the ongoing feud between Governor Fubara and the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
While he did not go into details, Wike suggested that the SSG played a key role in escalating the tension that has now engulfed the state’s political scene.
The former governor was loudly cheered by supporters during the event, where he mocked his opponents, saying their opposition was limited to radio propaganda.
He said, “I heard some people say I won’t come here. Who are they and how many are they? What you have done today is to tell the world all these noise in the radio is not the real thing. If you are of the Kalabari and of the Ijaw nation and you are receiving me today, God will continue to bless you. I will continue to stand by you and to support you.”
He explained that some persons had misunderstood and misinterpreted his recent interview on Ijaw but clarified that he only meant that an Ijaw man becoming a governor in Rivers was made possible and agreement to work together.
The former governor said on the final day of deciding who would be his successor, Fubara said he was not interested and urged them to give the position to his then Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu.
He recalled the process that led to Sir Siminalayi Fubara becoming the governor adding that Chief Alabraba, Chief Seargent Awuse and OCJ Okocha mounted pressure on him to allow Fubara in the principle of live and let live.
Wike stated, “What I said on my interview people will want to misinterpret it. However they want to misinterpret it is their business. I want to repeat what I said. I said we are all working together if we don’t work together it would have been difficult to produce the governor. That was what I said. Chief Alabraba did not allow me to rest; he nearly fainted when we were deciding who would be governor.
“Himself, OCJ Okocha and Sergeant Awuse and this boy Celestine Omehia when we met, that day was the primary, this governor today said he was not going to run that my Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, should be the one to run. Celestine Omehia said it should be Isaac Kamalu that this governor cannot carry out effectively, the functions of the governor.
“OCJ Okocha and Chief Awuse said live and let live. Let us not do something that people will begin to say why must it be only one-sided. What I mean was that it was not because of the strength or the power of Ijaw. It was because we worked together.
“Nobody should associate anything evil to the Ijaw. Ijaw people are not evil people. You cannot be saying I will blow the pipeline. No. Engage people intellectually and diplomatically and you get what you want. In the world we are in today we have passed the stage of threatening people.”
Wike said those around the governor encouraged him to seize the salaries and allowances of the House of Assembly members for over a year, telling the governor that nothing would happen.
The minister further said, “They told you to seize Assembly members’ salaries and allowances for more than one year. They have no income to feed their families and pay their children’s school fees. And you were jubilating and people were encouraging you and telling you that nothing would happen.
“Now something has happened. I am not going to stop the assembly from performing their constitutional duties. The Assembly should be allowed to perform their duties. People who love peace don’t threaten people.
“I told you that the House of Assembly will not lose their seats. I told you that the shenanigans of local government would not stand. I don’t need to be a governor. I know what is illegal is illegal. We fight it constitutionally and by following due process. What did we do wrong?
“We said all these chairmen and the assembly members suffered, National Assembly members suffered for you to become governor. Therefore, don’t abandon them. But they said I was asking for money. Has the money come? Those who are sharing the money, how far?
“Remember yesterday. A man is bad, a man is crook and a man is a criminal. But it was that same man that made you against all odds. If I hate Ijaw, I wouldn’t have done that and nothing would have happened. I followed my principle of live and let live.
“If you watch all those around the governor are people who are natural ingrates. Nobody who is not an ingrate will associate himself with what is going on. I told the governor to eat what God had given to him peacefully, that it is not good for him to face this crisis. But they told him, you are governor, you have money. I agree but money is not everything. All these people have nothing to offer. See where we are. Now how far?”
Wike highlighted all the projects he initiated and handed over to Fubara to make him popular, including the Port Harcourt Ring Road, adding that whatever the governor’s team was parading were his initiatives.
Going down the memory lane of the crisis, the minister said: “Who started this problem? Danagogo SSG used his elder brother, who is a judge. They sat down under an ex parte order saying 27 members have defected; ex parte not on notice.
“SSG lured his brother judge to give an ex parte order that the government can present the budget to three or four people. Secretary is Danagogo, the judge who gave the order is Danagogo. Look at how people can destroy a state.
“That is the genesis of all this crisis; how a judge will sit down under ex parte order saying that people had defected and you can present the budget to three people. This is Danagogo who wanted to be governor. He was so pained that he was not given.
“He is the one leading you and he will lead you to hellfire. You surround yourself with people who wanted to be governor; who I stopped because they don’t mean well for Rivers State. They are the ones surrounding you giving you advice. Why do you think you will succeed?
“They will give you bad advice and see what the bad advice is doing to you. This is 2:0 and more will come. I haven’t seen this kind of politics where you surround yourself with those who want your seat. Will it work? They come they and abuse me and you are happy. You don’t know they are destroying you.”
He remembered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu invited them for peace but that while he and other leaders got the assembly members to withdraw the impeachment notice they issued to the governor, those around Fubara stopped him from implementing the decision.
Speaking on President Tinubu’s move to bring peace to the state, he said, “You can abuse me as. much as you want. I have never bothered myself because abuse doesn’t kill anybody. What is important is the result. Who now has High blood pressure? They are the ones. This was what I was avoiding.
“Mr. President invited all of us for peace, and after that day we, the leaders, sat and told the assembly go back and withdraw the impeachment notice since the president has intervened for peace. Instead of them doing their own part, they instigated many court actions and used them as an excuse.
*When they won in Court of Appeal, they held a thanksgiving. Today we won and they said we should not do Thanksgiving. Are they being fair. The judgement day has come. OCJ Okocha said judgement day would come and judgement day has come.
“When the president intervened, people like Sarah Igbeh went to court challenging Mr. President that he has no power. I was told Sarah Igbeh was in the villa for the president to intervene; you that went to court against the President you are now going back to the President. You must be consistent.”
Wike insisted that his team that worked for Fubara to become the governor would not be pushed aside adding that there must be an end to use-and-dump politics.
He said all those, who tried to stop Fubara from becoming the governor were the ones collecting his money and saying they would decide for Rivers.
The minister added, “Politics comes with good and bad. When the good comes you take it when the bad comes you face it. We cannot be pushed out after all our efforts and sweats. All of you suffered.
“All those, who said they would not serve a master and his son, are the ones waiting on the road opening doors for the son. People have no conscience at all. Those who wrote petitions to EFCC against this governor for him not to be governor are the ones saying they would decide. Decide for who for us? They are not yet born. I have defeated them before and I have continued to defeat them.”
Wike vowed to support the reelection of President Tinubu and wondered what would have become of his team of the President had he not been given the ministerial position.
He said, “I am supporting President Ahmed Tinubu. I don’t say one thing in the afternoon and say another in the night. Anybody who remembers you in the rainy season you also remember him. Assuming Mr. President did not give us this position we occupy we were hoping that we had a governor who would take care of us.
“What would have happened to us? Will someone come and preach to us to tell us to support another person? Politics is interest. People must not use people and dump them. The politics of use and dump must stop.”
The Chairman of the occasion, Ferdinand Alabraba, heaped praise on Wike for his political sagacity and his love for the Ijaw people.
Alabraba said Wike had resolved the political crisis in Rivers by following the dispute up to the Supreme Court praying that peace would return to the state through the process.
He told the Minister that the people of Kalabari Kingdom would continue to stand by him and support him.
Alabraba stated, “May this achievement serve as a foundation for massive peace and may you continue to lead with wisdom. and integrity. We extend our deepest gratitude for your unwavering leadership. The Kalabari people will be with you at every time.
“We will continue to support you at all times and uphold collaboration as a veritable force that will drive the interest of all sections of our state. We assure you that your footprints in Kalabari land will remain indelible for many generations.”